Susan Collins

I do want to talk about the fact that the white potato is the only vegetable excluded from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)-approved food list.

I believe that most people would be surprised to learn that roughly three-quarters of USDA's budget actually goes to providing nutrition assistance.

I would suggest, since my time has expired, that the Government sends a signal when it lists every other vegetable except the potato for the WIC program.

I do appreciate the fact that you're willing to work with the industry about what you would perceive as more helpful ways of preparing the potato.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) continues to list information sharing, particularly with regard to terrorism-related information, as a high-risk activity, and it is on the high-risk list again this year.

That an individual could be able, undetected for so long, to download and illegally distribute hundreds of thousands of important cables, reports, and documents is just inconceivable to me.

I am concerned because we have seen two recent cases where tremendous damage was done, despite the fact that there was ample evidence, it appears--I am less familiar with the case we are discussing today--that something was dramatically…

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just a couple more questions.

There is an example of credible information that should have been shared across government but was not.

We could not agree with you more, and that is one reason we have introduced our cybersecurity bill which will apply to the civilian agencies and also try to work with the private sector to develop best practices.

I want to express my personal frustration with this issue.

Another terrible failure in information sharing.

The President's fiscal year 2012 budget request maintains this administration's historic commitment to funding drinking water and wastewater infrastructure across the country.

I think the EPA is making progress in reducing the costs and coming up with a more practical approach.

We wrote then that we were concerned that they would result in significant job losses to the forest products industry at a time when the industry was really struggling.

I hope that it would be as long as possible, 60 to 90 days, so that there can be ample time to review the rules.

I have to tell you that that's cold comfort to me, because the initial rule, according to industry estimates at least, was something in the neighborhood of $3 billion in capital costs.

I have to say that the Congress gave you that authority for a reason.

As I mentioned to you back in September, 41 Senators wrote to you to express great concern about the proposed EPA rules in this area.

I just hope the EPA will take a closer look at the implications.

We need, however, to make sure that, as the EPA issues new regulations, that it does not create so many roadblocks to economic growth that it blocks out private investment, which is the key to a prosperous future.

The EPA performs absolutely vital functions in helping to protect the public health by ensuring that the air we breathe is clean and the water we drink is safe.

I am going to talk about the very negative potential impact of the EPA's new Boiler MACT rules on the forest products industry in my State and throughout the Nation.

I am not a fan of the $6 billion that we spend each year on corn-based ethanol.

I do look forward to discussing that issue.